Believe
by Lavenderangel
Summary: A Tag to 212. Pacey and Andie talk afterwards. I attempt to make it angsty, but I don't think I succeed :)


Title: Believe  
  
Author: Lala  
  
Rating: G  
  
Spoilers: 212 (the one with the fishing trip O.o)  
  
Category: Pacey and Andie  
  
Summary: Tag to 212. Pacey and Andie talk afterwards.  
  
Disclaimer: Whatever is mine is mine. Whatever isn't, isn't.  
  
Author's notes:  
This scene is rather out of character, and I apologize for that. I just thought that there needed to be some P/A interaction during this episode.  
  
Also, I know that things were sort of tense between Dawson and Joey at this time, but I needed to distract the 3 of them, so live with it. M'kay? M'kay.  
  
--  
  
The Icehouse was virtually empty, as per usual. Joey Potter sighed as she put a coke in front of Andie McPhee and took the seat beside her.  
  
"I have no idea how we stay in business sometimes," she said, resting her head on the tabletop.  
  
Andie was about to reply, but the entrance of three teens stopped her.  
  
"We're ba-aack!" Dawson Leery announced, walking in with Jack McPhee, the two chatting away. They seemed to have reached some mutual agreement and appeared to be getting along rather nicely.  
  
As Joey got up to greet the two boys, the door closed behind a third.  
  
Andie got up as well, abandoning her untouched coke on the table.  
  
She gave her brother a smile and a quick hug, watching as he, along with Dawson and Joey, proceeded to sit down. Pacey remained standing in the doorway, eyes distant.  
  
Andie tapped him on the shoulder, and he jumped slightly.  
  
"Nice to see you, too," she said sarcastically, leaning over and brushing her lips against his cheek.  
  
"Hey there, McPhee," he replied, the lack of his usual cheerfulness not going unnoticed by Andie.  
  
"How was the fishing trip?"  
  
He headed over to another table, dropping into a chair. Andie followed, taking the seat across from him.  
  
"I caught our only fish," he said flatly, looking even more depressed.  
  
"And the bad part is…?" She inquired, allowing her sentence to hang in the air.  
  
"My Dad," he replied through a sigh.  
  
Andie tensed slightly. Pacey seldom spoke of his family, and had only mentioned his father once if she could recall correctly.  
  
She debated silently with herself for a few seconds, unsure if she should say something or wait for him to continue. She was just about to ask him what had happened when he spoke again.  
  
"It seems like no matter what I do, it's not enough, you know? Like the first day, I repaired the line for the sale. He yelled at me for breaking it. And when I caught the fish, he didn't congratulate me, he just said to enjoy this, it would probably be the only smart thing I did in my entire life."  
  
"Does he know that your grades have improved from all F's to all C's?"  
  
"I tried telling him, he just said 'C's? When Doug was in tenth grade… I'm always being compared to Doug. I'm worthless next to him in my father's eyes and to everyone else. No matter what I do, I'll always be worthless."  
  
Andie reached out and touched his shoulder lightly. "You can't let him get to you, Pace. You know you're not worthless, and I know you're not worthless. You have to believe in yourself."  
  
He sighed, and moved to sit next to her. She took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers.  
  
Andie let out a mental sigh of her own. Here was this great guy, this guy who could be smart if he just tried… and if people believed in him. She wondered if he'd ever been praised for anything before. Dawson and Joey were his friends, but they were too wrapped up in each other it seemed to take any notice of Pacey's home life or feelings. After all, neither of them had tried to help with his grades.  
  
The 2 sat in silence for a time. Finally, Pacey leaned over, kissing Andie softly on the lips.  
  
"Thanks, McPhee," he said, and she put her arms around him.  
  
"You all right?" Her voice was muffled against his shoulder, and she relaxed, pulling him closer into her embrace.  
  
"I will be," he murmured, his face pressed against her hair. "Thanks for believing in me, McPhee."  
  
Andie was the one to kiss him this time, and they stayed that way for a few minutes.  
  
"Get a room," Joey said dryly from the next table over, and the two pulled back, Pacey glaring.  
  
As he and Joey began arguing with each other, Andie smiled to herself. This was the old Pacey, her Pacey. This was the boy she was falling in love with. If only his father could see this side of him…  
  
[A/N  
Not my best, I know, but I thought Pacey needed a hug after this emotional episode. His speech to his passed out father is my favorite quote ever, and the way his voice shakes as he says, "when did you give up on me, when I was 5?" is just beautiful.  
  
I'll be starting a P/A series soon, just to letcha know. Thanks for all the reviews on my last fic, and please leave some for this one!  
-Lala] 


End file.
